Abstract:
The purpose of this study is to assess the influence of secondary school principals’ leadership roles in development of students’ non-academic talents in nyandarua county Kenya. Specifically ,this study sought to establish the influence of secondary school principals’ roles of supervision and motivation of students and teachers utilizing allocated resources ,preparing schools’ calendar of events ,guiding and counseling as well identifying ways of strengthening the capacities in promoting development of leaners’ non-academic talents namely: creative arts, athletics, ballgames and leadership among students in Nyandarua County, Kenya. The study was guided by transformational leadership theory by bass an Riggio which provided an understanding of how secondary schools principals’ leadership can influence development of non-academic talents and also experimental learning theory of Carl Rodgers which distinguishes two types of learning :cognitive “less significant” and experimental “significant”. Survey research design used for this study to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The target population comprised of 185secondary school principals, 170 teachers, 49750students and 185 parent representative. By means of questionnaires, quantitative data. was obtained from the survey of 35 principals, 202 teachers and 688 students from 37 secondary schools in the county selected using stratified random sampling technique. Quantities data on the other hand ,was gathered from in-depth interviews of 25 parents ‘ representatives using an interview schedule .the data was then transcribed and categorized into emerging themes before being coded and analyzed using methods with the help of the SPSS V20 statistical package to produce descriptive statistics the study reveled that development of learners non-academic talents was being effected by inadequate supply of resources by MOE officials, principals and teachers give development of leaners’ non-academic talents. The study recommended that secondary school education policy makers, MOE officials, principals and teachers give development of learners’ non-academic talents as much emphasis as the academic talents development.
